That should make all the GOP types very happy, after all those moochers are already sponging of the US taxpayers.
[note sarcasm Sirs or Madams]
This program was actually started by the GOP so poor people had phones to get jobs with. Back in the day when they at least pretended to try and fix things.
Thanks for the info. I remember when we as a Nation were in it to win it together, back in the ole century.
Next thing ya know, tha guvvermint will be wanting to provide paved streets, and let everybody drive on them for free!
$20 broadband?
A $9.25 subsidy means broadband costs $10-20? Where??? Iâd happily sign up for $30 broadband, Iâm paying double.
I would like to think in a bigger picture - what would it cost to provide high-speed (50MB/s +) connections to every home, school, and library in the country? Including infrastructure necessary to reach rural areas. I bet the total is less than a couple of F-35s but Iâm not sure. Providing access for everyone would have more long term benefit, though, and possibly unpredictable benefits.
Weâd of course need to be able to examine the router code for government back doors - but still, what would the nation be like if everyone could communicate in that way?
On a parallel note, letâs also provide basic instruction on how to use the Internet, like they used to do in public school for Driverâs Ed. Show people how to use a keyboard and mouse, make an e-mail account, type and print a letter, search the Web, fill out a basic job application. Many people come to the library to use our free computers, then sit staring at the screen because they have no idea what to do next. Library staff could spend all day (and sometimes does) teaching people this stuff.
Grant some bandwidth to the librarians and the postal service with marching orders to provide fair and free public access. Done.
This is an example of what is going on in the UK- Government funded to provide high speed access to areas that arenât commercially viable. Itâs a Mix of FTTC and some FTTP, with aims of 95% coverage of a high speed product. There is also some work to upgrade the slowest connections- we have a lot of long lines around here!
This is covering two predominantly rural counties, and roughly estimated at 100,000 premises and with a cost of ÂŁ65 million, so a very rough figure of around ÂŁ650 per premises (~$1000).
Obviously some parts of the states are much more sparsely populated, but using that figure and the total number of households (Excluding businesses) gives you $133 billion, so around a third of the F-35 program cost! ( Or maybe around 10%, depending on what âprogram costâ actually means. What a clusterfuck.)
Just this morning I heard a story about the local housing authority requiring people whoâd applied for assistance to reapply online. It makes sense that people who need help getting housing need help getting internet accessâif theyâre not caught in a catch-22 of not being able to get housing because itâs hard to get online.
You had to poke where it hurts, didnât you?
God, what a mess.
The FCC could do better. Wifi is free in Havana, Cuba.
Healthcare and internet access for the poor?! Next thing theyâll want is clean water. Iâm starting to lose my elite status.
Yeah, we just got FIOS and I thought $50 for 50/50 Mbps is a good deal.
Many years ago when I was on unemployment, before you could do your weekly paperwork online, I found it funny/not funny that the damned envelopes werenât postage paid. I mean itâs not like stamps are expensive or anything, but when youâre dependent on unemployment, itâs kind of a dick move to require it.
TWC has their âeverydayâ value internet (which is a kickass 2Mbps) for $14.99.
Ah, seeâŚIâm in Comcast land.
I like to tell my right wing friends, âwhen you read âF-35â, think âSolyndra, with a canopyâ.â
A surprising number of them agree.
